Thimphu climate
Thimphu (Bhutan) has a subtropical highland (dry winter) climate (Köppen Cwb). The average temperature over the year is 13 °C56 °F, and about 1,024 mm40 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Thimphu climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1253 | 031 | 642 | 50.2 |
| Feb | 1356 | 133 | 744 | 120.5 |
| Mar | 1660 | 338 | 949 | 321.2 |
| Apr | 1966 | 744 | 1355 | 602.4 |
| May | 2271 | 1151 | 1661 | 1084.2 |
| Jun | 2475 | 1559 | 1967 | 1536.0 |
| Jul | 2475 | 1661 | 2068 | 25910 |
| Aug | 2474 | 1660 | 2067 | 2068.1 |
| Sep | 2272 | 1457 | 1865 | 1345.3 |
| Oct | 1967 | 949 | 1458 | 502.0 |
| Nov | 1661 | 541 | 1151 | 30.1 |
| Dec | 1356 | 235 | 846 | 20.1 |
| Year | 2475 | 031 | 1356 | 1,02440 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65% | 55% | 3.8 | 10:35 |
| Feb | 67% | 59% | 4.2 | 11:11 |
| Mar | 68% | 67% | 4.6 | 11:56 |
| Apr | 73% | 74% | 4.7 | 12:47 |
| May | 79% | 77% | 4.7 | 13:30 |
| Jun | 84% | 81% | 4.4 | 13:52 |
| Jul | 88% | 84% | 4.2 | 13:43 |
| Aug | 88% | 85% | 4.4 | 13:06 |
| Sep | 88% | 80% | 4.0 | 12:17 |
| Oct | 82% | 64% | 4.4 | 11:27 |
| Nov | 76% | 54% | 4.1 | 10:45 |
| Dec | 67% | 52% | 3.7 | 10:25 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Thimphu is like
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 24 °C75 °F and a low of 16 °C61 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 12 °C53 °F and lows 0 °C31 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 14.2 °C25.6 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
It is wet, with about 1,024 mm40 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is June–August, which brings 60% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: November–February. The wettest month is July (259 mm10 in), the driest is December (2 mm0.1 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 65% in January to 88% in August. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 52%) are typical of December. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 3 km/h (2 mph) in November to 6 km/h (3 mph) in June. Daylight lasts from about 10.4 hours in December to 13.9 hours in June.
Best time to visit Thimphu
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are April and October: average highs of 19 °C66 °F to 19 °C67 °F with 50 mm2.0 in to 60 mm2.4 in of precipitation per month.
The most challenging month is July, which is very wet (259 mm10 in).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Thimphu
- Winter (December–February) — highs 1253 to 13 °C56 °F, lows 031 to 2 °C35 °F, about 6 mm0.2 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Spring (March–May) — highs 1660 to 22 °C71 °F, lows 338 to 11 °C51 °F, about 66 mm2.6 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Summer (June–August) — highs around 24 °C74 °F, lows 1559 to 16 °C61 °F, about 206 mm8.1 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket and a good rain jacket or umbrella and quick-drying shoes.
- Autumn (September–November) — highs 1661 to 22 °C72 °F, lows 541 to 14 °C57 °F, about 63 mm2.5 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket.
How Thimphu compares
Compared with Jaigaon, about 74 km to the south, Thimphu is on average 12.1 °C21.9 °F cooler and receives 37% less precipitation (1,024 mm40 in vs 1,620 mm64 in). The difference is largest in March (13.7 °C24.6 °F cooler).
Places in other countries with the most similar temperature and rainfall pattern: Lijiang (China, Cwb), Darjiling (India, Cwb) and Zhaotong (China, Cwb).
Nearby places
- Jaigaon 74 km · 26 °C78 °F · 1,620 mm64 in
- Gangtok 103 km · 18 °C64 °F · 1,092 mm43 in
- Jalpaiguri 139 km · 25 °C77 °F · 2,048 mm81 in
- Darjiling 144 km · 13 °C56 °F · 1,545 mm61 in
- Siliguri 147 km · 25 °C77 °F · 1,774 mm70 in
- Rangpur 195 km · 25 °C78 °F · 1,968 mm77 in
- Saidpur 202 km · 25 °C77 °F · 1,959 mm77 in
- Kishanganj 226 km · 25 °C77 °F · 1,701 mm67 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Thimphu?
July is the warmest month in Thimphu, with an average high of 24 °C (75 °F) and an average low of 16 °C (61 °F).
What is the coldest month in Thimphu?
January is the coldest month, with an average high of 12 °C (53 °F) and an average low of 0 °C (31 °F).
When does it rain the most in Thimphu?
July is the wettest month with about 259 mm (10.2 in) of precipitation; December is the driest with about 2 mm (0.1 in).
What is the best time to visit Thimphu?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are April and October.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station, so they can differ from airport records — most of all on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 3,437 m, while Thimphu lies at about 2,320 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +7.3 °C13.1 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.